Arch support



June 24, 1947. I m I 2,422,923

ARCH SUPPORT Filed May 7, 1946 Patented June 24, 1947 UNITED) STATES: PATEN Joseph Peil, Detroit, Mich.

Application May 7, 1946, Serial No. 667,794

3 Claims.

The invention relates to an arch support, and more especially to an externally applied and adjustable arch support for footwear, it being a refinement over the subject matter of Letters Patent No. 2,124,496, issued on or about July 19, 1938.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a support of this character, which is externally applied to the footwear, can be readily and easily adjusted through the displacement of a. nut, which is held fast by a tensioning spring, there being a pair of these nuts and a spring for each, in that the support is of a wide gauge V-shaped type spanning the shank area of the footwear in its entirety to eliminate a. flat foot condition or a partial fallen arch.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a support of this character, wherein its structure involves refinements over the subject matter of Letters Patent No. 2,124,496, issued on or about July 19, 1938, and in the use is to eliminate any irregularities at the arch of a foot when wearing footwear.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a support of this character, which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in its use, strong, durable, does not interfere with foot action, assures comfort and relieves pain resultant from a falling arch, and is inexpensive to manufacture and install.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which discloses the preferred embodiment of the invention, and pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is side elevation partly in section of a low shoe showing the support constructed in accordance with the invention applied, it also being in vertical section.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan View.

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the supporter detached and in its entirety.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates generally a shoe, which in this instance is of the low cut type, and is constructed in the usual manner, having at the shank l!) externally thereof the support constituting-the present invention, which comprises a substantially V-shapecl tread element or member ll, disposed to have the fore narrower end forward of the shoe, while the aft diverging arms l2 are arranged rearwardly of such shoe, as best seen in Figure 2 of the drawing.

The arms I2 are formed with rear upturned ears I 3, which are located next to the heel Id of the shoe and protrude upwardly below the shank 10 of the shoe. The narrower fore end It is slightly upwardly curved to effect a nose which approaches the sole of the shoe.

The V-shaped tread element or member II is provided with distributed clearances for receiving long and short screws or the like I! having their heads l8 countersunk in the said element or member and such screws or the like are disposed upstanding and partially engaged in the sole IQ of the shoe at the shank H], the long screw or the like I! being passed through a substantially V-shaped arch leaf spring 20 which acts against the sole I9, and has the arms 29 in superposed match relation to the arms 12 of the tread member or element II, so that this spring 20 will be anchored and held in this matched relation to the said member or element II as best seen in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing. The screws or the like ll, that is to say, the longer ones, two in number are surrounded by coiled compression springs 2|, which have contact with the tread member or element H and the spring 20 respectively, and in this manner the said tread member or element is tensioned or cushioned under tread action.

Built on the arms 20 of the tread element or member I l intermediate with relation to the screws or the like I! are upstanding lugs 22 which are loosely capped by fulcrum head nuts 23, having contact with the spring 20, while about these lugs 22 are coiled tensioning springs 24, which play against the element or member II- and the said spring 20, the nuts 23 being formed with rounded tops 25 engaging the said spring 20, to effect bearings therefor between the tread element or member H and the latter.

The support in its entirety is externally applied to the shoe, and is susceptible of springy action it being readily adjustable to properly fit the shank l6 according to the height of the heel H of the said shoe A to which it isapplied.

What is claimed is:

1. An arch support for footwear, comprising a rigid substantially V-shaped tread member, a springy substantially V-shaped piece, both located within the shank area, means for loosely anchoring the tread member in the shank area, and also matching the said piece with the lat- Ti; i

ter and against the shank area, and compression springs between the tread member and piece.

2. An arch support for footwear, comprising a rigid substantially V-shaped tread member, a springy substantially V-shaped piece, both located within the shank area, means for loosely anchoring the tread member in the shank area, and also matching the said piece with the latter and against the shank area, compression springs between the tread member and piece, and tensioned fulcrum means carried by the tread member and acting against the said piece.

3. An arch support for footwear, comprising a rigid substantially V-shaped tread member, a springy substantially V-shaped piece, both located within the shank area, means for loosely anchoring the tread member in the shank area and also matching the said piece with the latter and against the shank area, compression springs between the tread member and piece, tensioned fulcrum means carried by the tread member and acting against the said piece, and rounded nuts forming a part of the fulcrum means for contacting the piece.

JOSEPH PEIL. 

